Welcome to Backyard Ecology™

Nature isn’t just “out there.” It’s all around us, including right outside our doors. Join us as we ignite our curiosity and natural wonder, explore our yards and communities, and improve our local pollinator and wildlife habitat.

Do you want to…

🦋 learn more about the native plants, pollinators, wildlife, and other organisms that call your yard and community home?

🦋 create an eco-friendly yard that is full of life, but still provides places to play with your kids, grandkids, fur babies, or friends?

🦋 have your landscaping to be accepted by your neighbors and an inspiration for others?

🦋 reduce your yard maintenance so you have time to enjoy other things in your life?

🦋 be a good steward of your land and leave a legacy that includes making the world an ecologically better place?

Are you…

🦋 feeling overwhelmed?

🦋 unsure where to start or what to do next?

🦋 frustrated by the overly generalized, overly simplified, and often polarized information available online, in social media, and other locations?

🦋 searching for a balanced approach that considers your unique goals, property, and circumstances?

We get it. We created Backyard Ecology™ to help you become a Backyard Ecologist™.

Our focus on the eastern U.S. means that the information we share is applicable to you and where you live.

Finding your unique path…

We recognize there are no cookie-cutter or one-size-fits-all answers. The “right” answer is different for everyone and can change over time. We want to meet you where you are at in your ecological journey and be there for you as your needs change.

We offer multiple ways to join us at a variety of price points including lots of free content. Keep reading to find your path for connecting with us and becoming a Backyard Ecologist™.

The Backyard Ecology™ Community is for you, if you….

  • live in the eastern U.S.
  • want your property to look nice while also attracting and supporting local pollinators and wildlife.
  • dream of creating habitat and a thriving ecosystem on your property, not just another garden.
  • struggle with figuring out how to apply everything you’ve read or watched about habitat creation to your specific location and situation.
  • feel frustrated and overwhelmed from trying to do everything by yourself.
  • are tired of generic, cookie-cutter solutions that never seem quite “right” for your situation.
  • wish you could have ongoing mentoring, coaching, and support from experts and others who are doing all the things you dream of doing.

Our courses are for you, if you….

  • live in the eastern U.S.
  • want your property to look nice while also attracting and supporting local pollinators and wildlife.
  • dream of creating habitat and a thriving ecosystem on your property, not just another garden.
  • are looking for strategic, actionable steps that you can take to create, maintain, or improve pollinator and wildlife habitat.
  • want to dive deep into a specific topic.

Our workshops are for you, if you….

  • live in the eastern U.S.
  • are interested in creating pollinator and wildlife habitat or growing native plants.
  • want a bite-sized introduction to a specific topic.
  • are looking for strategic, actionable steps that you can take to achieve your goals.

The Backyard Ecologist™’s Newsletter is for you, if you….

  • are interested in the native plants, pollinators, wildlife, and ecosystems of the eastern U.S.
  • enjoy the Backyard Ecology™ blog, podcast, and YouTube channel.
  • want to get to know us a little better.
  • appreciate having all of the Backyard Ecology™ content delivered to your inbox in one easy package every week.
  • want to make sure you hear about any upcoming workshops, courses, or other Backyard Ecology™ news. 

Our YouTube channel, blog articles, and podcast episodes are for you, if you….

  • love learning about nature.
  • are interested in the native plants, pollinators, wildlife, and ecosystems of the eastern U.S.

We look forward to helping you…

🦋 have fun learning about the plants, pollinators, and wildlife that can be found in your yard and community.

🦋 transform your yard from a pollinator no fly zone and ecological desert to a miniature ecosystem brimming with pollinators and wildlife!

🦋 get expert habitat creation and management advice that is tailored for your unique goals and situation.

🦋 become a good steward of your land.

You can make a positive ecological difference, have fun doing it, and still enjoy the lifestyle that you want.

Backyard Ecology™’s Guiding Principles:

🦋 Curiosity: Nature is fun, interesting, and worth exploring. We will never know everything. Answers lead to more questions. That’s half the fun.

🦋 Balanced: You don’t have to choose. You can support nature AND the lifestyle you desire.

🦋 Science informed: Habitat creation and management should be based on the latest scientific research available.

🦋 Stewardship: Anyone can make a positive difference in the natural world and leave an ecological legacy on their property.

Thank you to our Patrons who provide monthly financial support!

Megan Amaral, Julie Krygier, Lizabeth, Russel Furnari, Crystal Robinson, Karen Veleta, Linda Relson, Kevin B, Sally Mirick, Crystal Dyamonds, Mitchell Bell, Laura Hunt, Sue Ann Barnes, Adrienne Richardson, J. Adam Perkey, Ariel, Cara Flinn, David Todd, Darrell Williams, LaVonne Fitts, Cathy, Michael, Tom Winner, Eric Fleming, Julie, SB H, Christopher Scully, Craig, Rachel Antonucci, Melissa Egbertson, Amanda Serenevy, Switzy, CotswoldsCottageMA, Vilma Fabre, and Pia O Nomata.